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Featuring among its ranks Enthroned bassist/vocalist Phorgath and guitarist Olve aka Nerath Daemon, this year sees Belgian black/death metal band Emptiness return with their brand new album Error, 5 years after the release of their previous album, and with such a strong lineup, there is definitely a pretty high level of expectations of this release, particularly for fans of Enthroned who are looking for something fresh from this project of the members.

Opening track Deafer certainly caught be off-guard, where unlike the style that Enthroned has crafted, Emptiness here provides a drastically different style of music, with their blackened death metal style leaning more towards such bands as Archgoat (with a more experimental touch to their music) through the almost ritualistic mood, what with the deep guttural vocals pushing the limits of sanity of the listener, though it would not hurt if the band could incorporate a heavier and more ominous atmosphere in the music, with some moments sounding too light, reducing the impact that the violent music on Error that could have potentially caused. There is also a feeling of doom that also runs throughout the album, with the repetitive riffs and at times it sounds almost as if the sole focus of the band is to leave listeners dazed and disoriented, especially the vocal attack of Phorgath and Olve at times sounding like a crazed whisper, upholding the theme of horror and darkness of the band's music, yet at other times sounding monstrous as hell, and this certainly fucks with the listener's mind, and one almost feels as if all light were sucked out and what is left is nothing but endless darkness.

Throughout the entirety of the album, numerous surprises are held in place for the listener, and for the most part the band successfully creates an uneasy feel in the listener that leaves a lasting impression in the listener's mind, such as that weird-sounding solo towards the end of title track, Error. The experimental side of the band also shows on tracks like Worst, with the chaotic guitars and that usual fanatic vocals running on top and a simple drum beat running beneath, yet sounding and progressing in perfect unison, displaying the songwriting prowess of the band. That said though, songs like Not Enough see the band simply break out into total chaos, with no sense of coherence whatsoever and this would certainly throw some listeners off.

With Error, Emptiness has managed to join the list of bands that manage to churn out some of the most experimental, chaotic and disturbing music alongside bands such as Portal and Impetuous Ritual, and would definitely be a good album for those seeking a dark, unsettling journey.